jBPM 6.0.0 CR2 Reports

[phancox]

I've only just started evaluating jBPM and in working with version 6.0.0 I'm somewhat struggling as to what is normal and what isn't working for me.

I note that there seem to be quite a few differences between the documentation and actual screens that are provided in the "jbpm-6.0.0.CR2-full-installer.zip".  I'm assuming this is just the documentation lagging the implementation and that the screens I'm currently seeing are what I can expect to work with in future?

As we're just about to start prototype development, I presume that version 6.0.0 is the most appropriate to work with?

Most of the differences can be found without too much trouble, however, can't find how to access reports from the "jbpm-console" application.  And the install,html talks about the "drools-guvnor" application but this doesn't seem to be included in the 6.0.0 CR2 install?

I see I need to tweak the install to get BIRT installed but I presume this is only for report design in Eclipse?  Do I need this additional install step to run reports from jbpm-console?

Any highly recommended tutorials (particularly videos) that would help in evaluating; particularly something built on version 6.0.0 and anything related to insurance claims processing would be great.

Thanks for any assistance.

[swiderski.maciej]

You're right, documentation is not up to date with version 6. It's being rewritten now and soon should be available with final release of jBPM 6.

When it comes to reporting there is completely new fully featured BAM module that can be reached via Dashboards -> Process & Tasks Dashboard menu. This is currently a separate web application that needs to be deployed next to jbpm-console. When using installer it should be deployed automatically.

Drools Guvnor is no longer available as it got merged completely into jbpm console. Same for BIRT, not need for it any more, BAM module covers it all. Here is short overview of what's coming in v6 the look and feel has changed since the video was created but overall approach is still valid.

HTH

[phancox]

Thanks for your response.

I've installed "jbpm-6.0.0.CR2-full-installer.zip" and the only WAR file in the JBoss AS deployment directory is "jbpm-console.war".  If I select "Dashboards -> Process & Task Dashboard" then I get a screen saying "Dashboard builder not installed. Please follow the instructions on the given link: Instructions".  These instructions take me to GitHub repository for "dashboard-builder".  Is this what I need for runtime reporting?

Is BIRT used  at all (e.g., for designing reports), or has it been replaced entirely in jBPM version 6.x?

I notice in the video that context is "jbpm-console-ng" rather than "jbpm-console" from the installer.  Should I be using "jbpm-console-ng" instead?  Where should I get it from?

I'm planning on reading "jBPM5 Developer Guide" by Mauricio Salatino; is this still largely applicable to version 6.x?  Any known publications yet that discuss version 6.x?

The video mentions adding attachments to a task as a future feature.  This is a "must have" feature for my client.  Is this available yet?  If not, will it be available in the GA release of 6.0 and when is this likely to be?

How essential is Eclipse to the development process?  I'm OK with this as we have substantial Eclipse and Java experience in non-jBPM projects.  Just curious as to how much can be achieved purely through the web based designers?

I'm struggling a little bit as to what a developer/designer would see vs. an end-user.  Can you point me at a video or reference site using jBPM (not necessarily version 6.x) that would give me a view as to an end-user desktop?

Many thanks for any help as I'm still very much on the initial stages of the learning curve.

[swiderski.maciej]

Peter Hancox wrote:

Thanks for your response.

I've installed "jbpm-6.0.0.CR2-full-installer.zip" and the only WAR file in the JBoss AS deployment directory is "jbpm-console.war".  If I select "Dashboards -> Process & Task Dashboard" then I get a screen saying "Dashboard builder not installed. Please follow the instructions on the given link: Instructions".  These instructions take me to GitHub repository for "dashboard-builder".  Is this what I need for runtime reporting?

yes, please follow these instructions and you should be able to use dashbuilder app for runtime reporting.

Peter Hancox wrote:

Is BIRT used  at all (e.g., for designing reports), or has it been replaced entirely in jBPM version 6.x?

correct, BIRT is no longer used for reporting and the dashbuilder application provides more advanced capabilities for BAM than what was available in v5

Peter Hancox wrote:

I notice in the video that context is "jbpm-console-ng" rather than "jbpm-console" from the installer.  Should I be using "jbpm-console-ng" instead?  Where should I get it from?

no, the video is running on so to say development snapshot and that's why it's jbpm-console-ng although it's same as what you get from the installer.

Peter Hancox wrote:

I'm planning on reading "jBPM5 Developer Guide" by Mauricio Salatino; is this still largely applicable to version 6.x?  Any known publications yet that discuss version 6.x?

Certainly, it's worth reading that book as the overall concepts around jBPM has not changed so much. Slightly improved API and new features were added to solve issues v5 has faced but the way it is oriented on knowledge, integrations with rules and events, etc is still valid. Not aware of any publications for jBPM 6 yet, besides some blog posts.

Peter Hancox wrote:

The video mentions adding attachments to a task as a future feature.  This is a "must have" feature for my client.  Is this available yet?  If not, will it be available in the GA release of 6.0 and when is this likely to be?

As far as I know it's not there yet from UI point of view. Back end (TaskService) already supports that so if you plan to use jBPM in an embedded mode you have it there. For adding that to UI please file a jira issue to get that included in next development cycle.

Peter Hancox wrote:

How essential is Eclipse to the development process?  I'm OK with this as we have substantial Eclipse and Java experience in non-jBPM projects.  Just curious as to how much can be achieved purely through the web based designers?

with jBPM 6, the web tooling allows to work almost end to end to author your business assets (processes, rules, forms, etc) and even build your data model as well over the web. There might be need to use eclipse (or other IDE) to develop more advanced things like work item handlers, event listeners, actual services process and rules would be calling. But that is more like any other software development rather than specific to jBPM.

Peter Hancox wrote:

I'm struggling a little bit as to what a developer/designer would see vs. an end-user.  Can you point me at a video or reference site using jBPM (not necessarily version 6.x) that would give me a view as to an end-user desktop?

the whole idea for BPM is the Business and IT alignment so the more business users and developers work together the better. One way of achieving this is to use same tools. Of course business users are not so much involved in the coding but with good tooling support they can at least sketch what shall it be. Take a look here at the article that contains a short video on getting started with jBPM6.

HTH